Factors associated with participation in a prevention trial aimed at reducing biomarkers of breast cancer risk.

Objectives: Poor enrollment into prevention trials is a major obstacle to the conduct of clinical investigations. This study focuses on cognitive and affective influences on the decision to participate in a clinical trial aimed at reducing biomarkers of breast cancer risk.

Methods: Following a decision to participate or not in a clinical trial focused on reduction of breast cancer risk, women were recruited into the present study.

A qualitative study of breast cancer treatment decisions: evidence for five decision-making styles.

Being diagnosed with breast cancer requires that women make a number of decisions about their medical treatments. To gain insight into the variety of forces that shape a woman's breast cancer treatment decisions, we conducted semistructured interviews with 44 breast cancer survivors. Through an interpretive analysis, we identified five treatment decision-making styles: (a) medical expert, (b) self-efficacy, (c) relationship embedded, (d) inhibition, and (e) constellation of information, which are differentiated by two dimensions: (a) low versus high information needs and (b) self versus other preferences.

Why older adults make more immediate treatment decisions about cancer than younger adults.

Literature relevant to medical decision making was reviewed, and a model was outlined for testing. Two studies examined whether older adults make more immediate decisions than younger adults about treatments for prostate or breast cancer in authentic scenarios. Findings clearly showed that older adults were more likely to make immediate decisions than younger adults.

Text processing variables predict the readability of everyday documents read by older adults.

A model is presented to predict the readability of documents encountered by older adults. The documents studied are contained in the Educational Testing Service's Test of Basic Skills (1977 edition) and require readers to answer questions about charts (e.g.